Incontinence can be classified as urinary incontinence and fecal incontinence. It means that one cannot control the urination and excretion voluntarily. Incontinence would not just lead to fidgeting, stinky smell, damage on our skin, but also increase the chance in getting pressure sores and urinary-tract infection. Psychologically, incontinence may cause embarrassment and discomfort. It may affect our self-confidence and, as a result, cause us to avoid social interactions. In more serious cases, it may even bring depression.

Urinary incontinence would usually happen to elderly women. Aged people tend to have incontinence because the volume of bladder is smaller and the pressure that can bear urethra has decreased. Therefore, some urine would remain in the bladder after urination. Yet, this would not directly cause incontinence. The direct causes can be separated into two main categories, namely, the temporary one and the established one.

The causes of temporary incontinence are manifold, which include:

Infection, for example inflammation of the urethra, vaginal atrophy etc.

Drug, such as diuretics and psychiatric drugs

Alcoholic or caffeinated drinks

Bodily actions are being restricted, due to stroke and joint pains

Constipation

Psychological factors, like depression

The established incontinence can be further subdivided into 4 categories and their roots are different.

The patient can sense the urge to urinate. But because of the restriction on bodily activities, he or she cannot go to the toilet immediately, and thus result in incontinence. This would happen to those who are disabled, elderly and those who have chronic disease (like stroke, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease).

This kind of incontinence would take place if the muscles of bladder are overly sensitive, or the brain cannot effectively control the bladder. In that case, the patient must urinate immediately once he or she has the urge to do so. Otherwise, it would give rise to incontinence. This situation is found mostly on those who had stroke several times, patients having Alzheimer's disease, and the elderly.

Its causes include enlargement of the prostate, diabetic neurogenic bladder, and urethral stricture. This kind of incontinence would also happen to those who have urinary neuropathy (e.g. nerve atrophy and spine neuropathy). Since the tension of the patients’ bladder is too low or the bladder does not have much contraction force, the urine would remain in the bladder. In effect, the patients would urinate involuntarily.

Lack of hormone and vaginal surgery would lead to pelvic muscle relaxation. When the pressure of the patients’ tummy increases, perhaps due to coughing, laughing or doing sports, he or she would urinate involuntarily. This situation would happen to postpartum women, chubby people, people who have long-term cough, and elderly.

How to prevent urinary incontinence

Avoid alcoholic or caffeinated drinks

Eat more food that contains fiber

Strengthen the muscle of pelvic floor

Try not to be overweight

Fecal incontinence

Once the nutrition of the food is being absorbed by the digestive system, the residue will be transferred to rectum. The rectum would then further absorb any useful material from this residue, and the remaining indigestible waste would become feces.

When the feces are stored to a certain amount, one will want to have bowel movement. But when one grows older, he or she would have greater chance to encounter fecal incontinence. The reasons behind include degeneration of bodily functions, muscle atrophy, sphincter damage, constipation, and unresponsive nervous system.

In such cases, the patients’ rectum would be less sensitive and the rectum’s storage size would also decrease.

Preventive measures

Perform exercise for levator ani, so as to strengthen the contractual force of sphincter

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